Television programming and other video content are increasingly being delivered to consumers in new ways. For example, the digital video recorder is an example of a device that leverages the flexibility of digital media and its storage to provide a new level of convenience relating to television viewing as well as recording. Also, television programming and a myriad of other multimedia are increasingly finding a home on new devices. For example, television programming is no longer found solely on the television. Through computer networks, as well as other delivery mechanisms, television and other media content are increasingly becoming available on other devices, such as personal computers, mobile phones, PDAs, and other portable computing devices. The broader availability of media on these devices, as well as the inherent flexibility of digital media also provides a host of new ways for consumers to share content with friends, family, as well as the community at large.
One problem that arises when content is shared among users is that it becomes difficult for the content owner to enforce restrictions on the content's dissemination. For instance, if a user downloads a video clip to his or her mobile phone that is protected by a digital rights management scheme, it becomes difficult or impossible for the user to share the content with other users. Even if the content owner allows the user to share the content in a limited manner by transferring limited content rights, the process can be cumbersome for both the user sending the video clip and the user receiving the video clip. On the other hand, if the user downloads a video clip to his or her mobile phone that is not protected by any digital rights management scheme, the user can easily share the clip with others, but the content owner loses the ability to further control its dissemination.